A device of said type is used, for example, for transferring energy and data between two components which move relative to each other. Such component arrangements are found in particular in robotic applications, in which rotation angles of 360 degrees and more are sometimes required between components of a robot, and data and energy must be transferred between said components. A further example of an application area for such a device is the transfer of energy and data between steering spindle and steering column of a motor vehicle.
In the case of a conductor-based transfer of energy and data, the cables which are used must have very significant flexibility in the region of the swivel joint in order to minimize wear and production stoppages. An inductive contactless transfer of energy and data between parts which can be rotated in relation to one another is therefore advantageous.
DE 199 14 395 A1 discloses an inductive transformer device for transferring measurement data and/or electrical energy between two components which can be moved relative to each other, in particular between the steering spindle and the steering column of a motor vehicle, using a primary and a secondary transfer part.
EP 0 510 926 A2 discloses a rotatable transformer for contactless signal transfer between a rotating part and a stationary part of the transformer. The transformer comprises various iron cores having various frequency characteristics. The iron cores are used in each case for frequency-selective transfer of the signals, whereby the efficiency of the data transfer is improved and the size of the transformer is reduced. Using the transformer, both data signals and signals for transferring electrical energy are transferred between the rotating part and the stationary part.